Need to practice riding my TT bike, so off to work with a small handlebar bag carrying the required goodies. Flatted due to double gee, fixed and started picking up pace, nasty easterly crosswind did not give me a good time on my 17.4km practise TT. Did decent pace on the 10km to Canning Bridge, even gave a bunny on a road bike a bit of rope, then after Canning Bridge reeled the bunny in, chased down a guy on a TT bike, sat behind him for about 1km (AT) 41kph, a lot of traffic in both directions, before opening the legs up and surprising myself by sitting on 47kph for a km before slowing for traffic, then I could only manage 44kph for the last km, but overall very happy with the last couple of kms, now to be able to do that speed and intensity over 16km.

PS I think I had the guy on the TT bike, with his Iphone on his bars, on my wheel for the last couple of kms, so probably not the only one setting a strava PB today

Ah good, till I got stuck behind a slow heavy guy on a !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! squeaky K-mart MTB going up of of the hills I also do. Couldn't over take due to car traffic so had to just fall in behind and take it slow...and then he slowed down even more as we got to the top o' the hill. Bah. Bike traffic on my commute is very rare, so I guess I can't really complain, but I will, and have done so.

Hot in Melbourne yesterday afternoon for the ride back, plus there was a grass fire which blanketed some of the suburbs in smoky haze. The fire was in the northern suburbs, thought it might be along one of the trails I ride, but it turned out to be closer to the Hume than the Darebin Creek Trail.Warm ride in this morning (27C at 4:30am), threatened to rain, but only had a few drops.

Some traffic circle fun yesterday afternoon (smoke from the fires in the first pic):

Had two flats last week to start with. Then I have been having some trouble with front derailleur switching from small front cog to the large one. So I attempt some adjustments and like a true technician I am now stuck with just one front cog, luckily the big one. After a few days off riding I pump my tyres up ready for this morning. Front one seemed a little low which surprised me, so pump it up and I immediately hear a hissing noise. My third puncture, they do say things come in threes.

This tyre had a massive spilt in it from a piece of glass, it has lasted close to 9000 k's or so with the split so I really cant complain about this flat. Have a new marathon plus tyre so decide to put it on.

This morning I start riding and going up my first little pimple of a hill I feel that something isnt right with the tyres so I stop. Check the front tyre and find that the bead above the valve hasnt seated properly and bulging slightly. Think about going back home, only 1-2 k away but couldnt be bothered so kept going and just hoped that the bulge wouldnt get worse. Cut my commute down to only 45k's as a result of the beading issue..but made it to work ok and have since fixed the beading issue.

Even with such issues and it getting cooler....bike riding so beats driving the car

Had a silver Mercedes buzz me (pass too close) this morning in the same spot as my last buzzing on Feb 5 (by a silver Mercedes then too). I'm thinking it may be the same lady and the same silver Mercedes who doesn't understand giving proper distance when overtaking. The cyclist behind me commented on it as he passed me on the hill (the cyclist said something about how all Mercedes/BMWs think they have a certificate of ownership of the road and can do what they like) so it seems it was noticeable to a third party as to the lack of distance she gave. Pity my GoPro is still not back.

It is the only stretch of road on Albert Street at Hoddle Street that doesn't have a dedicated bike lane and cars can get pretty narky around there in peak hour if you exercise your right to claim the full lane (and I'm certainly not going to ride in the dooring zone on the left which is where they want me). It is ironic because the cars get stuck in traffic anyway further up. I wish they'd calm themselves for the mere two blocks of lane sharing before us cyclists get the copenhagen lane and don't bother them anymore.

I don't think I mentioned Mr Maxi Taxi on my Friday commute on the way home either - it was a small side street with speed humps that means that cars are usually not travelling over 35kph... And I'm usually doing around 30-34kph in that area. Mr Maxi Taxi thinks he can overtake me and drives on the wrong side of the road for a significant period of time, but has to slow down for the speed humps so can't quite overtake me (as he amazingly doesn't go over the 40kph speed limit like others do). Mr Maxi Taxi is then forced to pull behind me again as he saw the oncoming traffic. At least he didn't try to force me into the gutter but actually slowed down and slotted back behind me (as the road ends in a T intersection). So he gets points for that. But no points for the ingrained habit of thinking that one MUST pass cyclists.

TailWind wrote:Hot in Melbourne yesterday afternoon for the ride back, plus there was a grass fire which blanketed some of the suburbs in smoky haze. The fire was in the northern suburbs, thought it might be along one of the trails I ride, but it turned out to be closer to the Hume than the Darebin Creek Trail.

jasonc wrote:almost got to work dry. Then it rained. Hard. Not even the overshoes saved me

My overshoes are getting a good work out too, ditto they never keep it all out though.TIP: Don't leave you socks exposed externally, it just creates a channel for the water to seep in and soak down the inside

Crawf wrote:My overshoes are getting a good work out too, ditto they never keep it all out though.TIP: Don't leave you socks exposed externally, it just creates a channel for the water to seep in and soak down the inside

I well and truly made sure the socks were in the overshoes this morning. They were doing really well, til the heavens opened.

What tyres? I would not be happy to ride on 23-25mm road tyres with that much distance on them. Have stacked as a result of a worn out front before (~7500km, schwalbe durano plus).

gretaboy wrote:...front tyre.. kept going and just hoped that the bulge wouldnt get worse.

Seriously, fix stuff like this there and then. Get a decent mini-floor pump to take with you. Front tyre blowouts are not fun! (Especially on an expensive Lynsky on a highway!)

Simon....my front tyre still had plenty of tread left on it, only reason I did swap it out was due to the big slit that was caused by a massive chunk of brown glass. I had a new tyre sitting at home so thought it best if I put it on, otherwise I would have still stuck with it.

Yes I know I was being stupid by not fixing it. Had all the gear on me to fix it and was tempting fate...

Timeonabike wrote:Ah good, till I got stuck behind a slow heavy guy on a superfantastic squeaky K-mart MTB going up of of the hills I also do. Couldn't over take due to car traffic so had to just fall in behind and take it slow...and then he slowed down even more as we got to the top o' the hill. Bah. Bike traffic on my commute is very rare, so I guess I can't really complain, but I will, and have done so.

Cheers

Time

Apologies for the industrial language - though I do like the substitution of superfantastic for the other word.

had a "hairy moment" this morning. coming down seventeen miles rocks rd towards oxley. half way down the hill there is a round about. most cars go straight through except I had one car coming from oxley that thankfully put it's indicator on. quite a bit of brake pressure required. and finally - dry weather!

went to the velodrome for some training last night then road home, didn't do any crazy speed just took it easy (couldnt find my mojo)

missed all the rain this morning, still feeling the same as last night, left knee isn't as happy as my right knee at the moment, thinking I might of hurt it yesterday at the velodrome, will take it easy for the rest of the week, as I want to do that 100 mile challange on the weekend!

Just before I was due to leave the rain was coming down heavy. Seriously considered not riding and delayed my start time. Luckily for me the rain stopped and off I went. I did not get a single drop on me the whole ride...I would have been filthy with myself if I had taken the car.

Enjoyed the ride...took an 8k detour to try and score a Strava KOM...and luckily for me and the effort put in I did get it. Was a little flat however so I reckon I have got lots to improve on with regards this segment.

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